Nato Extends Libya Mission, Sends in Attack Helicopters

A rebel army officer teaches Libyan women the use of weapons in Benghazi June 1, 2011. NATO said on Wednesday it had extended its Libyan mission for a further 90 days, after Muammar Gaddafi made it clear he would not step down, dashing hopes of a negotiated end to the uprising against his rule.

In Paris, the French Defense Minister, Gerard Longuet, would not disclose precisely when the British Apaches and French Tiger helicopters, would be deployed, but did assure: “In any case, very rapidly.”

Meanwhile, the Gaddafi regime suffered a further blow on Wednesday when Shokri Ghanem, its oil minister and former prime minister, ended a lengthy period of speculation and announced he had turned on the dictator.

Ghanem appeared in a press conference alongside the Libyan ambassador to Rome, who has also defected. They condemned the “daily spilling of blood” and “unbearable” spiral of violence in the country.

However, he said it was too early to say whether he would work with the opposition National Transitional Council in Benghazi.

Earlier this week on Monday, the biggest protest in the Libyan capital in nearly three months was held. Approximately 1,000 people gathered for a funeral for two rebel activists killed in a clash with security forces.